Apparatus for processing film



Dec, in 1545.. ,L M. BEAM@ Em 2,455,357

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILM Filed Sept. 24 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec.7, 194s.

' l.. M. BEARING Erm. APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FDL-ii Filed Sept. 24,1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 7, i948. L. M. BEARING Erm. 2,455,357

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILM SI1-wanton' LeRoy M, Dear/'ng /ra B.Current Patented Dec. 7, 1948 APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILM Le Roy M.Dearing and Ira B. Current, United States Navy Application September 24,1945, Serial No. .618,380

` 4 claims. (C1. 242-77) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, asamended April 30,1928; 370 0. G. 757) The present invention relates toapparatus for processing lm and other materials, and particularly toapparatus that may be loaded' in an unfolded or extended position.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a loading yokewherein a folding rack in extended position may be rotated in suchmanner as to wind film on or off the apparatus without causing damage tothe llm.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a filmholder that may be packed in a small space for storage andtransportation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following detailed description when taken inconnection with vthe accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification, and in which drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a pair of frames in folded positionand illustrating -means for holding the frames in folded position andmeans for lifting the frames.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pair of frames in open position andsupported between supports for rotation and means for locking the framestogether.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of means for pivotally mountingsections together and further illustrating rneans for locking thesections tgether, parts being shown fragmentarily.

Figure 4i is a front elevational View of Figure 3 illustrating thepivotal means in assembled position and the locking means in lockedposition,

parts being shown fragmentarily.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4i.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, illustrating a pintle stop and one ofthe ridges on a transvers rail.

Figure 7 is similar to Fig. 2 showing a diilerent supporting means.

Referring to the drawings the numerals I5 and i6 represent a pair offrames or racks that may be made oi any suitable m-aterial that isresistant to strong alkaline developers or acid oxidizing solutions,examples of the material being water proofed wood, stainless steel,Plexiglas. rubber,

co-polymers of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride.l

Frame I5 comprises side rails I'I and I3 and transverse rails I9 and 20,the transverse rails having ridges 2 I. The side rail I1 is providedwith apertures 22, 23 and 2l, and slots25 and 26 that receiverespectively the ends of transverse rails I9 and 20. Side rail I8 isprovided with slots 21 and 28 that receive respectively the oppositeends 2 of'the transverse rails I9 and 20, the side rail I8 being furtherprovided with apertures that are in horizontal alignment with theapertures in the rail Il only one aperture 29 being visible ln Fig- \urel.

Frame i6 is identical in structure to frame I5 and it comprises siderails 30 and 3|, and transverse rails 32 and 33 the transverse railshaving ridges 34. The side rail 30 is provided with apertures 35, 36 and31 and slots 38 and 39 that receive respectively the ends of transverserails 32 and 33, The rail 3| is provided with slots d0 and 4I thatreceive respectively the opposite ends of the transverse rails 32 and33, the side rail being further provided with apertures that are inhorizontal alignment with the apertures in the rail 30.

As shown i'n Figure 1 the frames 15 and 16 are shown in folded positionand they are held together by a U-shaped clip 43 the legs of whichengage the apertures 23 and 36. The numeral i4 represents film wound onthe frames i 5 and i5, one end of the film being connected to an element45, the opposite end of the i'llm to an element 455. The aperturesadjacent the ends of the side rails are adapted to be engaged by fingersil and G3 of arms 'S9 and 50 that are secured to a handle 5I as shown inFigure 1. It is to be noted that nger tl is engaged with aperturetl andfinger 48 with Iaperture 29, the fingers being engaged diagonal to eachother, permits the rackswhen being lifted or let down to hang in avertical position.

In Figure 2 of the drawings, the frames I5 and i6 are in an unfoldedposition and they are secured together by U-shaped clips 52. The framesare interposed between supports 53 that are provided With pintles 54,one of the pintles engaging the aperture 36 in the side rail 30, thepintle in the opposite support engaging the aperture 23 in the side railI1, thus allowing the frames to be rotated between the supports.

To the rail I8 there is secured bythreaded bolts 55 a female hinge 5Bhaving a front plate 5l, a rear plate 58, and a receiving slot 59, theplates being in spaced relation and integral. The rear plate 58 has anL-shaped end portion 60 that serves as a bearing point and stop. To therail 3| there is secured by bolts 6I a male hinge 62 having a frontplate 63, a rear plate 64 and a slot portion of rails i8 and 3l' beingshown. In the recess in the rail Il there is an arm l that is pivotallymounted therein by a bolt 'I I. One edge of 'the arxn 10 is providedwith a spring element 'l2 having a curved portion 18 that bears againstthe wall 'Il o f the recess, thereby holding the arm in anguiarlydisposed position and in enlaement with the element 81. The lower end ofthe arm 10 is provided with a lug 15 that engages the U-shaped pintleelement 81 thus serving as a retaining means for leg 88 in the slot i9.

In the use of the present invention and as illustrated in Figure 2, theframes or racks il and Il are in an extended or unfolded position andare supported by the supports 53. Film I4 as indicated -by the solidlines Figure 1 and the dotted lines Figure 2 is wound on the frames, theloops of the film being held in spaced relation by the ridges 2i and 34,the ends of the film being secured respectively to the elements 4'5 andI8. The frames I5 and Il are now folded and as shown in Figure 1 aresecured-together by the U-shaped element 43. The handle 6i is attachedto the frames as shown in Figure 1 and the frames lifted and placed invarious tanks for developing` and washing.

From the drawing it can be seen that the provision of the hinge members58 and 62 provide a means for connecting and locking a plurality' offrames together. Where a number of frames are to -be connected together,instead of the pintles as shown in Figure 2, a rod 98 as shown in Fig. 7may be used, the rod passing through the frames and supports'.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or' forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What we claim is:

1. In apparatus for processing photographic film, rigid, rectangular,folding frames adapted to support film helically wound in loops thereoncomprising side rails provided with aligned apertures on the transverseaxis of the frame and with apertures near either end thereof, two hingemembers on each side rail adapted to coact with the hinge members on anadjacent frame, a U- shaped pintle element adapted to connect thecoacting hinge members, and spring biased locking means on the side railof the'adiacent frame adapted to hold the hinge members in cooperativerelationship.

als

2. In apparatus for processing photographic film, the combination of tworigid rectangular folding frames as defined by claim 1, a U-shaped clipadapted, in cooperation with the apertures on the transverse axis of theframes, to hold the frames in folded relationship, and handle meansadapted in cooperation with the apertures near the ends of the siderails, .to lift the folded frames.

3. In apparatus for processing photographic film, the combination of tworigid rectangular folding frames as defined by claim 1, and U- shapedclips adapted to hold the frames in unfolded. coplanar relationship, andsupporting means to engage the apertures in the side rails on thetransverse axis ofthe frames and adapted to rotatably support the latterwhereby a 111m can be helically wound onto the frames.

4. In apparatus for processing photographic nlm, the combination of aplurality of rigid, rectangular, folding frames as defined in claim 1,U-shaped clips adapted to hold the frames in un folded, coplanarrelationship, a rod adapted to extend through the apertures in the siderails on the transverse axis of the frames, and means adapted to receivethe ends ofthe rod and to thereby rotatably support the said pluralityof frames for winding of film thereon.

LE ROY M. DEARlNG. IRA B. CURRENT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in theI fileofthis patent:

